Hearts coach fumes over team's lack of effort after Aduana defeat

Hearts of Oak head coach Aboubakar Ouattara has expressed his disappointment with his team’s performance in their 2-0 loss to Aduana Stars.

According to Ouattara, his players failed to put in the required effort, citing their lack of running as a major concern.

“We didn’t play football today, we gave them all the chances to score us,” Ouattara said after the match. “Since the first half, we didn’t play well, we played very badly and we accept that today we are not good.”

The coach was particularly frustrated with his players’ lack of physical effort, stating, “We didn’t run, when you see the first goal, the second goal, the mistake we made, the corner and all, we didn’t run at all.”

In contrast, Ouattara praised Aduana Stars for their energetic display, saying, “Aduana run well. All the players were running but we didn’t run.” This stark contrast in effort ultimately paid off for Aduana, who secured a convincing 2-0 win.

The loss further reduces Hearts’ chances of winning the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League title.

The record Ghana FA Cup holders dropped to 7th on the league table with 41 points from 27 league matches, nine points behind leaders Gold Stars. Gold Stars recently defeated Bechem United 2-0, solidifying their position at the top of the table.

Hearts of Oak will look to bounce back from their defeat when they host Karela United at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday